Creatine Kinase - Total (Serum) During Pregnancy

Updated on October 9, 2018

What is Creatine Kinase?Creatine kinase (CK) levels are tested if heart damage is expected. When a patient present with symptoms of a heart attack, diagnostic testing begins, including a complete series of blood tests. Among those tests is CK. Higher than normal values of CK on a blood test are indicative of damage to heart cells. CK levels peak between 18 and 24 hours after a heart attack. If a doctor believes a patient has suffered a heart attack, but physical tests are inconclusive, the CK test could be used to finalize the diagnosis.